JUCSU demands arrest in assault case
Students of Jahangirnagar University held a protest really under the Central Students’ Union of the university (JUCSU) on Monday, calling for the immediate arrest of the accused involved in the attempted rape of a female student on campus.
The demonstration came as more than 100 hours had passed since the incident, with law enforcement yet to apprehend the alleged perpetrator.
The protest procession began around 4:00 pm near the university’s Shaheed Minar and moved towards the Dhaka-Aricha highway, adjacent to the main entrance known as Dairy Gate.
The protesters briefly blocked the highway for approximately 20 minutes, from 4:37 pm to 4:57 pm, causing temporary traffic disruption.
During the rally, JUCSU leaders and activists chanted slogans demanding justice, including “Justice, justice, we want justice,” “Break the black hands of the criminals,” and “Why was my sister oppressed? Government answer us.”
Addressing the gathering, JUCSU Vice-President Abdur Rashid Jitu expressed concern over the delay in action by law enforcement.
“It is alarming that despite the severity of the incident, authorities have remained inactive for nearly 150 hours.
We want to send a clear warning to both the university administration and law enforcement: the accused must be identified and brought to justice immediately. Otherwise, students will escalate their movement,” he said.
He further warned that any untoward incidents during future demonstrations would be the responsibility of the university administration and state authorities.
JUCSU General Secretary Mazharul Islam noted that while suspects in other major cases are often arrested quickly, no action had been taken in this case despite available CCTV footage.
He also alleged that a group within the campus was attempting to create unrest over the issue.
“Ignoring all conspiracies, the authorities must ensure justice is served immediately. Otherwise, we will enforce a larger blockade of both the campus and the highway,” he added.
The protest highlights growing frustration among students over perceived inaction in serious criminal cases on campus and underscores calls for prompt and transparent law enforcement responses.
